Whole Foods Is Launching Millenial-Themed Stores

What does that mean?

I recently heard a French editor refer to Whole Foods as Disneyland, and in my personal opinion, it's the perfect analogy: bright, shiny, filled with wondrous, often exotic-looking things, and...expensive. But the health-geared supermarket chain made a major announcement this week that could change things for cash-strapped health nuts: Whole Foods will launch a new, millennial-geared franchise of budget-friendly stores as early as next year.

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The idea is that millennials are a tricky generation to cater to: big on wellness, new trends, and niche, artisanal products—the very bread and butter of Whole Foods, so to speak—but all on a post-grad budget. While they aren't providing extensive details on how they plan to go about this, co-CEO Walter Robb did say in a company statement that it will be a "uniquely-branded store concept unlike anything that currently exists in the marketplace. Offering our industry leading standards at value prices, this new format will feature a modern, streamlined design, innovative technology, and a curated selection," he continued. "It will deliver a convenient, transparent, and values-oriented experience geared toward millennial shoppers, while appealing to anyone looking for high-quality fresh food at great prices."

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We're promised more specific information sometime around Labor Day of this year, though leases for stores opening next year are already under negotiation. Still, it looks like some aren't quite so enthused at this development: The LA Times noted yesterday that the company's stock fell shortly after making the announcement. On the other hand, we're pretty fascinated to at least see how it pans out. Because the idea of filling up on the hot foods bar without wanting to cry at the cash register? That's exciting stuff.